Collapsible form for molding concrete vessels.



A. W. BUEL.

COLLAPSIBLE FORM FOR MOLDlN G CONCRETE VESSELS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. IQIB.

1 ,277,845 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITNESSES mvsuron I A FL ATTORNEYS A. W. BUEL.

COLLAPSIBLE FORM FOR MOLDING CONCRETE VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3 I918.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.2

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l/IIVE/VTOR A rromms A. w. BUEL. COLLAPSIBLE FORM. FOR MOLDING CONCRETE VESSELS.

APPLICATION F-ILED JUNE 3 19l8.

Patented-Sept. 3,1918

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

A TTORIVEYS v A. w. BUEL.

COLLAPSIBLE FORM FOR MOLDING CONCRETE VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE3 I918.

1 ,277,84:5 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

46' g Q 7 v 3 {Z WITNESSES INVENTOI? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. BUEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MILLER A. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GOLLAPSIBLE FORM FOR MOLDING CONCRETE VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed June 3,1918. Serial No. 237,996.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT-W. BUEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York,.borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Collapsible Form for Molding Concrete Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to forms for molding concrete vessels and has reference more particularly to collapsible forms for building the hull of a vessel either monolithically or in successive sections by using a plurality of collapsible form units which can be easily and quickly assembled in position for pouring the concrete and after the concrete has sufliciently hardened, the form may be collapsed. withdrawn and shifted expeditiously for another section or another vessel as the case may be.

An object of the invention is to provide a form of the class described which will allow molding either monolithically or in sections and without the use of skilled labor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible form with which a cellular ship structure can be molded.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,'forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of'a fragment of a form embodying my invention, certain parts of which are broken out to show the details ;of construction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2, Fig. 1, the view also showing a molded hull section adjacent the form; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the form as it appears assembled;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a similar section on line 5-5, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section through the center pivot of the form on which the outer halves of the form swing;

Fi 7 is an enlarged vertical section on l1ne 7, Fig. 3;

F1 8 is a horizontal section on line 88 Flg.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 99, F1g. 10, through the center pillar;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on line 1010, Flg. 9, certain parts of the structure being broken out to show the details of constructlon Fig. 11 is a horizontal cross section on line l111, Fig. 7, showing the mold for forming the cellular structure in the bottom of the hull; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the sheathing is locked to the hangers;

Flg. 13 is a fragmentary plan View of the mounted form, certain portions of which are broken out to show the details of construction; and

Fig. 14 is an elevation of the outer half of the mold swung away from the molded hull of the vessel, which is shown in section.

It has been the general practice in this class of work to construct wooden forms conforming to the lines of the hull, requiring large quantities of lumber and great expense for a large force of highly-skilled carpenters difiicult to obtain and control. The salvage in the material and labor for forms, available for the second and subsequent duplicate vessel, has been so small that by far the largest part of the cost of forms for the first vessel has been required for repeating.

I propose to construct my forms for the outside of the hull in sections of a'convenient length fore and aft, having regard to the weight and strength of each form section, the length of longitudinal reinforcing rods, spacing of frames and unit quantities of concrete per section. Each complete form or unit consists of an outside frame and an inside framework supported from header girders 15 which are in turn supported by the columns or braces 42 of the other frame. The girders are braced laterally by beams 16 to which the hangers 17 of the inside framework are secured.

The central hangers 17 at their lower ends are connected to longitudinal beams 18 which support the deck beam portions 21 and also the transverse beams 18 which support the center girder forms 20 and the pillar forms '17, (see Figs. 1, 5 and 12).

19. As shown the pillar form is composed of two channels and two plates suitably interconnected to form the necessary hollow structure, to permit it to be easily removed after the concrete has been placed and hardened. The deck beam forms 21 at their outer ends are supported on the frame formsv 22 and beam strlnger forms 23 and are so connected with the center girder forms 20 and beam stringer forms 23 that the finished structure may be cast monolithically throughout. The frame forms 22 andthe beam and side stringer forms 23 and 24 are supported at suitable intervals from the'side hanger The frame forms 22' of the mold have at suitable inter- Vals forms for side stringers 24. As shown, there is one side stringer form below the beam stringer form, but it is self-evident that any number may be provided. The forms between the beam stringer and side stringers are in removable sections so that the sections of the mold can be placed successively in building up the vessel.

The bottom part of the inner frame of the form presents a series of cells the structure for which is formed by collapsible members all carried by beams 25 which are connected near the lower end of the pillar form 19 and the side hanger 17 (see particularly Figs. 8, 11 and 12). The beams 25 carry the sheathing hangers 26 the sheaths 27 of which are adapted to form the cells in the floor of the vessel. The sheath 27 is detachably connected to the corresponding hangers 26 by locking means 28 or 29, as shown in Fig. 12. Each sheath has marginal stiffening flanges 30 at the top and bottom. The length of the plates 27 must be less than the corresponding length of the inside of the cell, the corner space between the two adjacent plates being closed by the angles 26 which also may serve as hangers. The space between the adjacent plates 27 in the form running longitudinally of the vessel will form the side keelsons 31. The space between the sheaths 27 running transversely of the vessel will form the floors 32.

V The inside of the vessel between the deck beam and the cellular bottom is also cellular in construction, and for this purpose the frame forms 22 are provided with removable plates 23 which are detachably connected to the channel members 34 of the frame forms which are adapted to form the frames between the side stringers and the beam stringer. Each of the plates 33 has a top and bottom.marginal stiffening flange 35. Suitable locking means 36 are provided between the plates 33 and the channels 34. The lower frame sections are connected by the bilge portions 37 of the form to the collapsible coifer structure of the form, the channet portions olf the bilge registering with the channel members 34 and the transverse passages formed by the sheaths 27 so that the frames and the floors aline.

The outer frame of the mold has the bottom 38 in two sections pinned together at 39 in the longitudinal axis of the form. The bearing of the pin 39 is supported by a timber bed 40. The bottom 38 carries at the free end the bilge 41 which cooperates with the bilge 37 of the inner frame of the form. The bilge 41 is connected rigidly to the bottom. 38 so that it is displaceable with the bottom. The columns 42 are supported by timber beds 43, the free ends of the bottom 38 being supported by the columns which columns also support the detachable plates 44 which are adapted to rise above the bilge 41 to cooperate with the frame forms 22 of the inner frame of the form. The frame forms 22'may also carry detachable form frame extensions 22 above the deck with which the plates 44 may cooperate.

The columns 42 are adjustably securable to the head girders. In consequence the bottom 38 may be adjusted so as to give any desired dead rise. The sides may have any desired lines. It is self-evident that although the angle between the side and bottom in the outer frame portion of the form is 90 any other angle may be used if so deslred. By having a 90 angle and makin a flat bottom ship the sides will be vertica and for any amount of dead rise the sides would make the same angle with the vertical as the bottom makes with the horizontal. This arrangement has the advmitage that the same set of standard forms may be used for vessels with either fiat bottoms or with dead rises, the only thing affected bein the keel, the sides of which would make a s ight angle with the vertical.

The sequence of construction is as fol lows: A false keel 46 is laid on temporary hlockings so that the timber bed 40 of the forms can be easily placed under the false keel. The false keel is provided with bolts 47 rising therefrom and which are adapted to be located in the keelson space of the form (see Fig. 1). All the reinforcing rods except those for the deck members are placed and wired and supported on standard frames of light scantling timber. These frames follow the outline of the form and are spaced about one unit form apart. One of 'these frames supporting the rods will be withdrawn or taken up when the forms are placed, the longitudinal rods spanning the space. The shoes for the bearings 39 with their timber beds 40 are then set accurately on solid supports. The bottom 38 with the bilge 41 is then rolled under the reinforcing rods into position and pinned together at the center shoes. The columns 42 are then erected and pinned to shoes on timber beds 43 and bolted to 38 and 41 which have i been raised into final position. The'header girders 15 are then set in place and bolted to columns 42.

The side section 22 and the pillar form 19 are then suspended from the head girders. The beams 25 can then be bolted in lace. usted and accurately spaced with suitable spacers or chairs. The cellular structure sections of the form'are then suspended in position from the beams 25 and the forms are ready for concrete up to turn of. bilge or shear strake. It will be noted that the bottom of the cells are open, for the concrete used for the purpose is not fluid enough to rise through the open bottom of the cell sections of the form.

After the form has been filledwith concrete up to the bilge top, the side sections of the forms 22 and 44 are bolted into place up to the first side stringer, the reinforcing rods being adjusted at the same time, and

the concreting proceeds. The additional side' sections of the form are added in a similar manner. The top side sections which lie below the beam stringer are placed into position simultaneously with the forms for the deck beams. The reinforcing rods are adjusted with the building up of the form, and the concreting proceeds in the manner as previously mentioned. The concreting of the deck beams is proceeded with from each side and across deck simulta neously, meeting at the center girder and pillar. This can be repeated for a second deck, if needed. The hull. above the main deck may be extended to any desired height by means of the sheating 44 and 33 provided for the purpose. v

A week later the forms may all be removed in reverse order and placed in position for another section or a hull to be built. Not more than one contiguous section of forms will be removed from week-old concrete until the adjacent sections of the ship have been properly blocked up and supported.

The forms are preferably built of steel, as the wear and tear on this material is considerably less and a great number .of repeatings may be obtained with steel forms. It will be noted that the outer frame structure is easily removed from the mold The reinforcing rods are thenadjustably connecting the overhead support tosaid outer frame whereby the dead rise of the bottom and the inclination of the side of thevessel to be molded may be varied.

4. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels or the like, an overhead support, a saddle frame suspended from the support to be disposed in the longitudinal line or lines of interior pillars, pillar and longitudinal girder forms depending below and supported by said saddle frame, side frame sections suspended from the support, beams connecting the pillar forms to the side sections, and cofi'er-form sections detachably suspended from said beams.

5. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an overhead support, a floor form, hangers connecting the floor form to the overhead support, and side and deck forms detachably connected to said hangers.

6. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels or the like, an overhead support, a saddle frame suspended from the support to be disposed in the longitudinal line or lines of interior pillars, a pillar form depending below the saddle frame, side frame sections suspended from the support, a floor form extending between the pillar form and the side frame sections and also suspended from the support, and deck forms detachably connected to the saddle frame and side sections.

7. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an inner frame having a floorform section presenting a plurality of hangers, and plates detachably secured to said hangers and adapted to form the cells in the floor.

8. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an inner mold frame having detachable side-frame sections of cellular form, each of said sections having channel members, and sheathing adapted to be detachably connected to said channel members to produce the cellular structure.

9. In a collapsible form for molding con-' crete vessels, an inner frame having a cellular floor-form section presenting a plurality of hangers adapted to form the corners of the cell, and plates detachably connected to said hangers and adapted to form the sides of the cell.

10. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an inner frame having a cellular floor-form section presenting a plurality of corner hangers, plates adapted to form the sides of the cells and slightly shorter than the distance between the corresponding corner hangers, and means for detachably securing the plates to the corner hangers, said securing means being disposed on the inside of the cell.

11. In a collapsible form for molding con crete vessels or the like, a cellular cofierform composed of plates each appreciably shorter than the corresponding side of the cell, corner pieces of angular cross section adapted to fill the space between the ends of the plates, and means for detachably locking said plates to said corner pieces.

12. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an inner frame having a plurality of collapsible cell forms each com prising corner members adapted to form the hangers for the cell forms, the spaces between said collapsible cell forms being adapted to constitute the floors, frames and keelsons of the vessel to be molded.

13. In a collapsible form for molding concrete vessels, an overhead support, a saddle frame suspended from the support to be disposed in the longitudinal line or lines of interior pillars, a pillar form depending below the saddle frame, side hangers connected to the support, a plurality of beams connecting the side hangers to the pillar form, cellular side-frame sections secured to said hangers above the beams, a plurality of channel members connecting the saddle frame to the side sections, and a cellular collapsible floor-frame section suspended from said beams.

ALBERT W. BUEL. 

